Dasyhelea avia Dominiak

Dominiak, Patrycja & Alwin, Alicja, 2013, Five new species and new records of biting midges of the genus Dasyhelea Kieffer from the Near East (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae), Zootaxa 3683 (2), pp. 133-144 : 137

Dasyhelea avia Dominiak sp. nov.

( Figs 4–5 )

Type material. Holotype: adult male. United Arab Emirates. Al-Ajban, N 24˚36' E 55˚01', 60 m asl, 21.VIII– 09.IX.2006, Malaise trap, leg. A. van Harten (UG). Paratypes: United Arab Emirates. Al-Ajban, N 24˚36' E 55˚01', 60 m asl, 21.VIII–09.IX.2006, 2 males, Malaise trap, leg. A. van Harten (UG).

Diagnosis. This species is easily diagnosed by very short, hook-like submedian projections of aedeagus and wshaped parameres.

Description. Male. Head. Flagellum length 0.53–0.55 mm, AR 0.89–0.94 (n=2). Distal flagellomeres with two rows of long setae ( Fig. 4 ). Frontal sclerite rather broad. Clypeus bearing 8 strong setae. Third palpal segment rather long and slender, length 47–49 μm, PR III 3.92–4.45 (n=2). Thorax. Transverse suture absent, number of supraalar setae from 7 to 8. Scutellum pale, with 6 long setae. Wing membrane covered with macrotrichia, hyaline, only one radial cell present. Wing length 0.70–0.71 mm, CR 0.42–0.44 (n=3). Legs unicolored, TR I 2.2 (n=2), TR II 2.3 (n=2), TR III 2.2 (n=1). Genitalia ( Fig. 5 ). Tergite 9 rounded distally, apicolateral processes short, with sharp tip. Posterior margin of sternite 9 extended, fused to aedeagus by conspicuous bridge. Gonostylus slightly curved, slender. Parameres fused and symmetrical, w-shaped. Aedeagus with one pair of short submedian projections, both with recurved tips resemble small hooks.

Female and immatures. Unknown.

Derivation of the name. The Latin noun avia ,- orum means wilderness.

Distribution. The United Arab Emirates.

Comments. Dasyhelea avia and the species of the turficola group are close in similar structure of the bridge joining sternite 9 and aedeagus, and the fused symmetrical parameres. It can be easily separated from the other species by the shape of aedeagal projections, which are very short and hook-like.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 8. Dasyhelea antonii Dominiak sp. nov. (1 – 3), holotype male (3), paratype male (1, 2): 1. distal flagellomeres, 2. palpus, 3. ventral view of genitalia; Dasyhelea avia Dominiak sp. nov. (4 – 5), holotype male (5), paratype male (4): 4. distal flagellomeres, 5. ventral view of genitalia; Dasyhelea libanensis Dominiak sp. nov. (6 – 8), holotype male (6, 8), paratype male (7): 6. distal flagellomeres, 7. palpus, 8. ventral view of genitalia.